


The Boss Revised version

by grey853



Series: The Boss [1]
Category: XF - Fandom
Genre: Angst, M/M, Male Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-02
Updated: 2013-07-02
Packaged: 2017-12-16 20:42:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/866390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grey853/pseuds/grey853
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Walter Skinner becomes boss beyond the workplace.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Boss Revised version

Title: The Boss Revised version  
Author: Grey  
Fandom: XF  
Pairing: Mulder/Skinner  
Rating: NC-17  
Status: Revised version of the first story of the BOSS series  
Archive: Yes  
Email: [Grey853@aol.com](mailto:Grey853@aol.com)  
Series/Sequel: First in the BOSS series, revised  
Website: <http://grey.ravenshadow.net>

Notes: This was the very first slash story I ever posted. When I went back to read it again, it made me cringe. So, I rewrote it both with Mulder's view all the way through it and then with Skinner's view for the second half. I decided Skinner's view makes for a better story. Here's the newer version with POV more consistent. 

Summary: Walter Skinner becomes boss beyond the workplace. 

Disclaimer: Woe is me, the following characters aren't mine, but I play with them just the same. They belong to Fox and Chris the man, but they don't do right by them. What else could I do but take charge for just a few brief moments? No harm intended, no harm done. 

Spoilers: The whole cancer thing is here and there's a bit about "Zero Sum". 

* * *

**The Boss Revised**  
by Grey  
[Grey853@aol.com](mailto:Grey853@aol.com?subject=The%20Boss)

* * *

Mulder sat behind his desk embarrassed, a raging hard-on crippling his composure. Thank god for Scully's hourly coffee run. He brought both hands up to cover his face, his head lowered to his desk. He ached to touch himself, to ease the tension, but didn't have the nerve, not here with Scully due back any minute. 

Directing the erotic images to a dark corner away from his consciousness, he found only resistance, stubborn complaints echoed by his sexual hunger. He wanted to slap the offending visions, but unfortunately the thought of slapping anything, or anyone for that matter, just made him groan and grow all that much harder. "Oh god." 

"Are you okay, Mulder?" 

The sound of Scully's sultry voice interrupted his misery, snapping his head up. The humiliation withered his erection slightly, but didn't remove the painful throb completely. "It must have been something I ate." 

"Or didn't eat. You didn't have breakfast this morning, and I do believe you skipped lunch. Why don't I get you something? You don't look right." 

"I'll be fine in a minute." 

"Are you sure you don't have a fever? You look flushed." 

She approached his desk, but he waved her away, discovery far too easy. "No, I'm fine. It's just hot in here." 

"It's not hot in here, Mulder. Really, what's wrong?" 

Taking a deep breath, Mulder shrugged and rubbed his face. "I'm just tired. I haven't been sleeping. Nothing new." 

"If you say so, Mulder." Reluctantly, Scully let the subject drop. She turned her attention to some files stacked on her desk, but then looked back in frustration at Mulder. "Weren't you supposed to take these back to forensics to be reevaluated? Skinner made it perfectly clear that the numbers needed to be double checked." 

Mulder closed his eyes as he rubbed his mouth. He couldn't let himself think about Walter Skinner, not now, not with Scully standing right there. "Come on, Mulder. I know Skinner was rough on us this morning." 

"You mean on me." 

"Well, yeah, he was rougher on you, but that's just SOP. I do have to confess he has had a worse attitude toward you lately. He was a real bear this morning. I think I actually heard him growl at one point." 

Mulder stared down at his report, refusing to meet her intense blue eyes. "I thought it was worse than usual, too, but I also thought it was just me being paranoid. Face it, Scully. Skinner doesn't like me, but worse, he doesn't trust me." 

"Mulder, we're the best team he has. He respects you as an agent, but you have to admit, you've never given him much opportunity to like you. You hiss like a cornered tomcat every time he's in the room just doing his job. As for trusting you, hell, Mulder, you lie and mislead the man on a regular basis. What's to trust? Then, this morning you screwed up the reports big time. What the hell happened, Mulder? When I left yesterday, you said you had it under control." 

Mulder sank further down, more miserable than ever. "Like you said, Scully. I screwed up. I really don't know what happened." 

Scully shook her head in bewilderment. "So, what's going on with you anyway? You've been distracted as hell lately." 

Mulder couldn't meet her eyes. There was no way he could tell her about the dreams and the almost constant fantasies that were making his life unbearable. Instead he just shrugged, his eyes avoiding hers. "I'm just tired, that's all. Look, I reworked the reports. I just need those extra forensics tests done." 

"Okay, I'll tell you what I'm going to do just for you. I'll run them down to the lab and Katie can call up the results." 

"Thanks, Scully. I'll do better tomorrow. Promise." 

"I'm counting on it, otherwise Skinner won't be the only one chewing your ass." The words danced lightly, but her eyes remained serious. 

After she left, he pushed back away from his desk and leaned his elbows on his knees. Hearing chewing ass and Skinner in the same sentence compounded the pain even before the phone distracted him from unzipping and taking care of business right then and there. Fuck the consequences. He hurt too much not to do something desperate. 

&&&&&&&&

"Mulder here." 

"Mulder, this is AD Skinner's office. He'd like to see you up here right away." 

"Tell him I'll be there just as soon as Agent Scully gets back with forensics." 

"Don't bother with Agent Scully. AD Skinner said you were to come up alone." 

"He did?" 

"Yes, and Agent Mulder, he said to bring the revised reports, but also to bring your coat." 

"My coat? What for?" 

"He apparently wants a private word outside the office." 

A cold chill went through him. Skinner suspected his office of being bugged. "I'm on my way." 

Mulder glanced at his watch and noted the time, 4:30. He dialed the lab and left a message for Scully. He'd get the results later and she should go ahead home for the weekend since there was no new case pending. As he went over to get his coat, he suddenly realized he hadn't brought one. Too much hurry and not enough common sense some days. Shit. He thought about Skinner, the broad shoulders, the strong hands, the intense brown eyes that studied him too closely. God, how could he want his boss like that, like he'd wanted Richie so long ago? That part of his life was over. Why all this hunger now? He didn't need this. Not now and especially not with Skinner. 

He shook his head and bit his lip harder. Whatever was happening, he'd have to deal with it later. If Skinner wanted a private talk outside of Smoking Man's ear shot, he wanted to listen. 

* * *

"Kimberly, you can go home early today. Just make sure to put those new schedules through. Oh, and tell your nephew congratulations on his wedding." 

"Thank you, sir, and you have a nice weekend, too." Kimberly flashed a covert look to Mulder and swiveled back to her computer. 

Turning to Mulder, Skinner frowned. "Where's your coat, Agent Mulder? I specifically asked you to bring it when you brought the file." 

"I don't have one with me today." 

"It's 30 degrees out. What if you'd had to go out on a case? What if your car broke down?" 

"Then I guess I'd be cold, sir." 

Skinner shook his head and studied the man as Mulder avoided his eyes, the stubborn stance typical. "Wait here, Mulder." He stepped back in his office and returned in just a moment with a long black leather coat. "Here, put this on. You're not going to walk around DC in this weather without wearing something to protect you." 

The young man took the coat, but draped it over his arm instead of wearing it. Skinner ignored the passive/aggressive behavior for the moment and headed out the door with a quick motion to come along quickly. 

"Sir, aren't we going the wrong way?" 

"Just follow me, Mulder. I'll explain when we get to where we're going." 

He cleared his throat while managing to keep pace with his companion. "Where exactly would that be, sir?" 

"Not now, Mulder. Just stop asking questions for a few goddamn minutes. And put your coat on like I told you. It's freezing outside. Scully will have my ass if you get pneumonia." 

He muttered a low-breathed Jesus, but put on the coat. Skinner smiled briefly to himself and kept walking. 

Outside the building, Skinner set a quick pace, but Mulder matched his stride with little effort. The older man braced himself against the slap of the winds, unexpected slippery patches a real hazard with any distraction like Mulder walking right beside him. Snow warnings issued for evening and the dark clouds made it pretty certain to be an icy night. They walked about fifteen minutes in silence, the tension pulling back both sets of stubborn shoulders. Suddenly Skinner took a left into a side alley and Mulder followed. Guiding them through a door into a dimly lit corridor, Skinner stopped at room 34, and unlocked the door. 

Inside, he flipped on a light. Dark wooden paneling lined the room containing a leather couch and chair, an oak desk, a bureau, and a king size bed in the far corner. An oak kitchenette took up the rest of the space. Not a hotel room, it was more like a one-room apartment. 

Skinner locked the door behind him, went over to one of the cabinets, and brought out a bottle of Scotch. "Want a drink? I've got beer or I can make some coffee if you want." 

"I'm not much of a drinker." 

"Coffee then?" 

"No, I think I feel more like a beer today." 

"And that would be because?" 

"No particular reason. I just feel like a change." 

Skinner nodded as he retrieved a dark ale from the refrigerator and handed it to Mulder. The young man remained standing, his eyes unfocused, his face still confused. The AD grinned in spite of himself. "Well, take off your coat and stay awhile." 

"Sure." Awkwardly he removed the coat, his eyes still wary as he scanned the room. 

Skinner went back to the kitchen area, fetched his Scotch, and then sat down on the sofa. He loosened his tie before he spoke. "Sit down, Mulder. I think it's about time we talked." 

Swallowing hard, Mulder slumped down in the chair opposite his boss. He opened the file and spoke quietly, each word like a small packaged apology. "I'm sorry about the screw up this morning, sir. I'm not exactly sure how I managed to lose those forms, but I went back and rewrote the interviews. I think I can pull together enough of the other police reports to finish this up by tomorrow morning." 

"I'm not here to talk about the Lacey case, Mulder." 

"Then why are we here? By the way, where are we anyway?" 

"With the hours I put in, I keep this place as a necessary retreat. It's a lot closer than Crystal City and saves wear and tear on travel time. Now would you like to explain what's going on with you lately?" 

Uneasily, Mulder continued to hold the file and shuffle the papers. "I'm not sure I understand what you mean, sir." 

Skinner took a drink, but never took his eyes off the beautiful man before him. Mulder's brilliance dazzled those around him, but it was his dark, brooding nature that made him so damn vulnerable, so incredibly attractive to Walter Skinner. Despite his urge to take the other man into his arms, he never did. He was his superior and such action would not only be inappropriate, it would be far too dangerous. Mulder was straight and entirely too obsessed to be anything but trouble. Regardless, Skinner couldn't help but want to protect him, to try his best to keep him safe from others who saw Mulder as different kind of threat. 

"Mulder, how's Scully doing?" 

The question sucker punched him for a moment. Recovering quickly, he simply said, "She's fine, sir. She can still do field work." 

"I know that, but how is she really?" 

Mulder leaned forward and put the folder down on the table between the two men. He rubbed his face while he talked, his face shadowed with both fatigue and fear. "She keeps telling me she's fine, but the nosebleeds come more frequently and last longer. She's pale and she had to go in for more tests last week. She's lost more weight. You've seen her. What do you think?" 

"I think she's getting worse." He paused, watching Mulder lean into his own suffering. "So, how are you handling it?" 

"Me? What's to handle? I'm not the one they abducted and gave cancer. I'm not the one who's body is being eaten away by itself. I'm fine." 

"Sure you are, Mulder. Keep telling yourself that." 

Mulder jerked his head up, his strained voice tossing words out hard and with quick passion. "What the hell do you know about it?" 

"Get angry if it helps, Mulder, but you know I know about it." 

Mulder sagged back wearily in his seat, his anger no longer an issue. "I'm sorry, sir. I know what you tried to do." 

"Yeah, well, that's the problem isn't it? I tried and failed." Skinner finished his drink and got up to retrieve the whole bottle. He sat back down again before he spoke. "Ever since you found out that I made that useless deal with Cancer Man, you've been avoiding me. You saved my ass by lying about the gun, and now you won't even look at me." 

Mulder shifted uncomfortably in his chair. He looked up, but couldn't maintain eye contact. Skinner swallowed hard at the judgment there, the cut deeper than any death blow to the heart. 

"I know you tried, sir. It was a futile gesture because we both knew he couldn't be trusted." 

"I should have followed my own advice." 

"It's hard to do that when someone you care about is suffering." 

"I know." Skinner poured another drink, his need to soften the edges of the truth more urgent. 

"Maybe you ought to slow down a little." 

Amused at Mulder's sudden concern, Skinner smiled. "Maybe, but what would be the point? I'm staying here for the night. I don't have to drive. It's the weekend. Fuck it. I'm tired." 

"I know the feeling. Tired seems to be the popular state these days." 

Taking advantage of the changing mood, Skinner pushed for an answer. "So, why have you been avoiding me?" 

Mulder finished his drink and asked, "Could I have another one?" 

"Sure." Skinner got up, took the empty, and went to the refrigerator. After getting another bottle, he turned around and couldn't help but admire Mulder from the back. What a handsome man, what a man he could live for, a man to actually risk love for. He wanted to run his hands through Mulder's hair, to kiss him, to hold him just once, but instead simply came around and handed him the drink before settling back on the couch. Dreams lived so much stronger in the mind than in action when fear hobbled one's courage. 

"Thanks." Almost shyly, Mulder watched him, his eyes meeting his only when he thought he wasn't looking back. 

"No problem. Now, answer the question. I know what I did makes it harder for you to trust me, but, I think you of all people understand why I did it." 

Mulder nodded, but made no immediate reply. Skinner studied the younger man as he remembered the crash of disappointment, the ambush of lies and broken trust. Finally the younger man made eye contact, his face still twisted with sadness. "I know why you did what you did. In some ways I even admire it. I know it couldn't have been easy. You must care about Scully a lot." 

Skinner cocked his head to the side. "I do, but not the way you think." 

"What do you mean?" 

"Scully is a wonderful woman. I admire her more than just about anyone I've ever known. She has a strength that I've rarely witnessed and a blazing intellect." 

"She's also gorgeous and has a great smile." 

"That, too. But more importantly, she's got heart." 

"Yeah. Heart. She's got enough for both of us." 

Skinner leaned forward, his voice steadfast and determined. "Mulder, I have to know what's going on. Why is it so hard to even be around me now? Surely I deserve at least an explanation." 

"I know you do, sir, but I just can't give you one." 

"Why not? You can save my ass, but not respect me enough to even talk to me or even be in the same room with me without looking disgusted?" 

"I'm not disgusted. Never that. I've always admired you. You've pissed me off more times than I can count, but I've always respected you." 

"Then tell me what's going on. I know I've got to win back some of your trust, but have I lost your respect by what I've done?" 

"No, sir. It's me." 

Skinner shook his head. "I don't understand. Scully's sick. You can't go through this alone." 

"I was alone before. It's the story of my life. I'll survive like always." 

"But it doesn't have to be. Tell me what's really bothering you. It's more than Scully being sick." His voice took on more passion, his words more insistent. "Tell me, Mulder." 

"I can't." 

"Why not?" 

"Because I'm not sure myself and, frankly, what's going on is scaring the hell out of me." 

"More than alien bounty hunters and liver-eating mutants?" 

Mulder didn't even crack a smile. "Worse than even that." 

"Good god, tell me." 

His whole body tightened, his hand covering his mouth as if it could contain the power of his own words, hold back the truth just to the other side. "I can't. I'm not comfortable talking about this." 

"Mulder, trust me enough to at least try. You've got to tell me what's bothering you. Think about it. You've been screwing up at work, alienating every body." 

"Worse than usual?" 

"Lots worse. You won't even talk to me or Scully and you look like you haven't slept in weeks. This can't go on. It's too dangerous to be this vulnerable." Mulder still resisted speaking. "Tell me, Mulder." 

He took another drink before he finally spoke, his hands trembling as he clutched the bottle. "Sir, did you ever question your sexual preference?" 

Skinner fell back against the couch as if shot. "What?" 

"Well, I can tell you didn't expect that." 

"No, I didn't. What are we talking about here? You're straight. I've never questioned that." 

"But what about you? You're obviously straight. You were married and a Marine. When you date, you date women." 

"So?" 

"So, you've probably never questioned what it was that made you who you were in the sexuality department. Well, up until awhile ago I didn't either. My sex life was pretty consistent." 

"I didn't know you were dating anyone." 

"I'm not. That's what I mean about consistent. I'm sure Scully has told you about my video collection." 

Skinner grinned as he spoke, the words close to a chuckle. "Actually she hasn't, but I have been to your apartment, if you remember. I've seen the titles." 

"Yeah, well, with my schedule that's pretty much my sex life." 

"That seems pretty much a waste." 

"Sir, lately I've been having fantasies like I used to have as a teenager, and I'm feeling a little confused. I thought I was over all that." 

Worried about what he was about to hear, Skinner took a deep breath. "Mulder, fantasies are just that, fantasies. They can't hurt anybody. You're a psychologist. You know a healthy imagination can be therapeutic. Lord knows, you've got one hell of an imagination." 

Mulder grinned weakly before he sobered and spoke. "Yeah, well, my imagination has taken on a life of it's own and I'm having trouble understanding where it's going. It's making me very uneasy." 

"What the hell is it, Mulder?" 

"It's you, sir." 

Stunned silence. Skinner put his drink down and shook his head, his breathing catching at the words. "You're kidding." 

"No, sir, I'm not. I don't understand it and I don't expect you to. I haven't slept in weeks. Every time I close my eyes, I start seeing you there, feeling you beside me." 

"And this bothers you?" 

Shocked at his boss's calm, soothing tone, Mulder answered, "More like freaks me out. I don't know where it's coming from. I experimented a little with a friend in high school, but as an adult, I've always been straight. My fantasies and tastes may be considered a bit daring, but they've always involved women." 

"Up until now?" 

"Yeah, and to top it off, nothing I do seems to make a difference. I can't focus on anything or anyone else. I'm sorry, sir. I know you must be offended by this. I just don't know what to do about it." 

"Why would I be offended?" 

"What?" Mulder raised his eyes to meet Skinner's. 

"Why would the idea of having sex with you offend me?" 

"I...I...uh..I guess because I'm confused?" 

"Mulder, for someone so very bright, you can be really thick. Being bisexual is something I accepted a long time ago. Looks like you might be a late bloomer, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. Granted our society is still so homophobic as to make being careful only prudent, but, hell, we're alone here. Be honest with yourself and with me." 

"Honesty is not the problem. This thing about you scares me." 

Skinner lost the amused expression and his face took on a wonderful compassion. "Don't be afraid, not with me. I would never deliberately hurt you. I've wanted to tell you I felt the same way for a long time. I never approached you because you seemed so sure of your own sexuality." 

"Well, not anymore." 

"Come over here and sit next to me." 

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." 

Skinner tilted his head and studied the young man intently. Dark lashes covered deep hazel eyes. The pupils were dilated in the low light. His cheeks showed the flush of arousal and his skin glistened slightly. "We're alone here, Mulder. We're adults and both of us are so turned on it hurts." 

Skinner recognized the bulge between Mulder's long legs and felt the sympathetic heavy weight of his own erection. Unsure, but curious, Mulder managed to move onto the couch without falling or hurting himself. Skinner wrapped an arm around his shoulders, the heat of the touch electric, the involuntary shudder coming before the nervous words. 

"This is really not a good idea, sir." 

"No, it's not. It's probably one of the dumbest things either of us has done in ages." Skinner pulled Mulder closer, his right index finger tracing the edge of Mulder's jaw, moving to his lower full lip. He shifted and leaned in for a kiss. Contact sent fire through his body, his belly winding up and begging for more. A tongue snaked its way into his mouth. A moan escaped as Mulder shivered. Skinner pulled back and whispered, "You like that?" 

"My god, yes." Mulder kissed back again and again. Skinner moved his hand across his chest and down to Mulder's crotch. He pressed firmly against the erection behind the taut fabric. 

"Take off your jacket and shirt." Skinner watched as he stood up and followed orders, speechless, the obedience an immediate turn on. Skinner unbuckled his belt, the pants dropping to the floor. With a quick motion, the cotton briefs were down and gone, kicked to the side. Skinner suddenly stood and pulled Mulder over to the bed and pushed him onto his back. "Just relax. Let me do the work." 

Walter stole his breath, sucking in the incredible rush of fire searing his lips. His hands roamed over Mulder's chest before his mouth captured the nipples, the nibbles sparking whimpers, the moans like music. Wet kisses trailed to the younter man's ears, his eyelids, and down his neck and marked his collarbone. Meanwhile a hand had encircled Mulder's cock, hard and leaking, stroking him and massaged his swollen balls. All Mulder could do was groan and pump into the powerful fist. 

Stopping for only a moment, Skinner stripped off quickly and leaned over him. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are? God, I've wanted you forever." 

Skinner pulled Mulder's ass closer to the edge, spreading the well-muscled runner's legs further apart. Engulfing Mulder's swollen cock, the tang both bitter and salty washed his tongue. He licked the precum dripping like a fountain, the slickness creamy and hot. A finger took some of it and without warning, slid into the tight pucker, the muscles clenching. Rocked by the sensation, Mulder came, squirting into Skinner again and again, arching up and off the bed. "Jesus. Fuck. Oh my god." 

He never stopped licking, the aftershock and tremors a tease to his lips. Still slightly breathless, Mulder whispered huskily, "Let me, touch you, Walter." 

A low chuckle escaped Skinner's throat as he climbed back onto the bed. "So, now it's Walter. Do I start calling you, Fox?" 

"No, I like Mulder." 

"So, do I." 

"I can tell. My god, I've never in my life come like that. Thank you." 

"You're more than welcome." 

Mulder rolled over and kissed Walter deeply while he took him into his hand. He pushed him onto his back and got on top. Rubbing his erection against his groin and then his leg, he started to stroke him, each pump a pull to his back, pressure building in his head as he found himself at the mercy of Mulder's rhythm. "Jesus. Suck me. God, do it now." 

The warm mouth took him in, the lips suctioning while a hand cupped and fondled his balls, the strain of pleasure like fingers teasing the strings controlling his coming. A finger fucked his ass as Mulder's talented mouth showed his cock no mercy between hell and heaven. Balls grew tight and suddenly with a sudden jerking upward, his back cracked and sent thunder to cancel all thinking. 

After a few moments, Walter's body relaxed enough to bring Mulder to lie beside him. Still stunned, his voice barely made a whisper. "Damn, you're good to be a virgin." 

"I take it you liked my oral skills." 

"You've always had the sexiest mouth in the bureau." Walter reached up, and pulled Mulder closer to kiss him again and wrap him in his arms. 

Noticing the quiet, Walter kissed the top of Mulder's head. "What's wrong?" 

"I'm not sure." 

"About what? Us?" 

"About anything. I have to tell you this shakes up my whole self-image." 

"It does, huh? Well, maybe you just need a little help rebuilding." Walter looked deeply into his young friend's eyes. "I love you, Fox Mulder. I don't say that easily and I've only said it to very few others. I'm saying it to you, because I want you to hear it, to understand it." 

"But I don't understand it. How could you love me?" 

Skinner shook his head, gave Mulder a deep kiss, and rolled him onto his back. He sat up straddling his thighs and stared down at him while rubbing his well-developed chest. "How could I not? You're the most brilliant man I know. You're beautiful and passionate and so fiery it's like looking at the sun. You blind me. From the first time I saw you, I was hopelessly at your mercy." 

Mulder looked up at Walter like he was crazy. "You're out of your mind. You've raked me over the coals more times than I can count." 

"True, because I couldn't afford to let you know how I felt. You're not the only one who gets scared. Some of us are downright terrified of our own depths of passion. How much I care about you scares me. You scare me. I never know what you're going to do." 

"Apparently, neither do I." 

Skinner started to rub Mulder's fuzzy chest and found himself getting hard again. He leaned over, stretching himself out so he could shift to the young man's side. He reached over and pulled up the wool afghan draped at the end of the bed. He covered them and then moved closer. While his hand stroked Mulder back to an erection, he continued to talk. "You said earlier that you thought I made the deal to help Scully because of my feelings for her." 

Breathing deeply as he spread his legs to let Walter fondle him more gently, he asked, "And?" 

"That's only partly true. I made the deal because I was worried about you. Without Scully to help and support you, I was afraid I might lose you." 

Mulder closed his eyes and managed to gasp out, "Lose me how?" 

"I was afraid you might hurt yourself or do something foolish that would get you killed." His eyes stung at the words, the reality too feared to be spoken lightly. 

Suddenly, Mulder stared up at him, the hazel darker in the low light. "My god, did you really think that?" A gentle hand reached up, caressing the rough stubble of his cheek. "I would never do that." 

"Never?" 

"Not now." 

Walter let his head drop to Mulder's chest. He heard the thumping heart and continued stroking. Mulder's eyes closed again. Walter lifted his head and in utter fascination, he watched as the breathing grew more ragged and the eyes squeeze tightly shut under the intense pressure of pleasure. The warm hardness tightened in his hand. Mulder pushed and suddenly jerked as he climaxed with a low whimper of relief. Walter held on tight until he finished. Then he leaned over and kissed the swollen lips. "You're so beautiful when you come." 

"It feels beautiful. Thank you." 

The two bodies spooned together. "Walter?" 

"What?" 

"May I stay with you tonight?" 

"Mulder, you can stay with me forever." 

A quiet moment rested between them. "This is very confusing." 

Walter smiled at the boyish tone. "I know. The first time is a head swimmer." 

"It's not just that. Being with a man, that's puzzling enough. I'm still not even sure about that part of the whole picture yet. But, it's you. My whole idea of what I am, and what we are, is completely fucked." 

"You can say that again." 

"I have to figure this out." 

"You don't have to do it alone." Mulder pushed back, leaning more deeply into Walter's strong arms. 

"I'm figuring that part out." 

"Relax. Nothing has to be figured out tonight either. You're tired. Just rest." 

Mulder rubbed the dark hair on his lover's arm as it wrapped around his neck as he spoke in a hush. "You're going to have to be patient with me about this." 

"I've had a lot of practice in that area. Don't worry. It'll work out. We can do this." 

"I might screw up. I have a tendency to do that." 

"Mulder, you're always too hard on yourself. That makes it hard on everybody who loves you." 

Teasingly, he asked softly, "And who loves me?" 

"I do, Mulder. I do." Magic words. Unfamiliar words. Very scary words. 

Walter watched drowsy lids close, all the dreams tormenting his young lover for the last few weeks drifting away. Worry about the dangerous nature of their decision could come later, come when they both had the rest they needed. For now this was enough, this connection he craved more than some easier path. Sinking gratefully into a peaceful oblivion, Walter Skinner cradled the one man worth the risk of loving, his very own Mulder. 

* * *

The End for now.


End file.
